5,000 S.L. Scouts celebrate a million hours of service

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah — More than 5,000 Salt Lake-area Boy Scouts and their leaders earlier this month celebrated their goal of 1 million hours of community service.During a gathering at the Salt Lake County Equestrian Center in South Jordan, the boys also were encouraged to set even higher goals for their futures as they apply the ideals and values of Scouting in their lives. The "Jamboral" was a smaller Salt Lake Valley version of national and world Scout Jamborees.The grounds' polo field and surrounding areas were filled with tents, awnings and cook stoves for Scouts, mostly from the Great Salt Lake Council. The boys cooked meals, participated in an outdoor concert by pianist Jon Schmidt, watched a fireworks show, and then the following morning, a Saturday, joined a "parade of flags" in review for Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder Rasband was honorary chairman of the Jamboral.Other reviewers included Elder Patrick H. Price, Utah North Area Seventy; Dean R. Burgess and Michael A. Neider of the Young Men General Presidency; and Sister Margaret S. Lifferth of the Primary General Presidency.Elder Rasband addressed the gathering with memories of his own Scouting experiences as a youth, displaying his personal merit badge sash with 23 badges, and his Eagle and Mormon Duty to God awards. He recalled a service project his own Troop 95 of the Cottonwood Stake performed many years ago, replanting trees after a forest fire. "I returned to those canyons as an adult to take my children sledding and tobogganing," he said, "and I wondered if any of those beautiful trees on the snow-covered slopes were some of those I'd helped to plant as a Scout."He praised the Scouts for their 2008 goal of giving 1 million hours of service and challenged them to continue that spirit of service and the elements of the Scout Oath, Law and Slogan to "Do a good turn daily" as they go forward in life. He admonished, "Let those principles bless you all the days of your life, so that some day in some quorum or on some mission for your church you can stand and proudly say, 'I was a Scout.' "After the assembly the Scouts scattered to participate in dozens of games and skill activities with a Scouting flavor throughout the Equestrian Center complex.